Bringing the Rail Trail to Hillsdale
A major goal of the Hillsdale Hamlet Committee is to help bring the Harlem Valley Rail Trail to Hillsdale and beyond. Currently, a section of the paved trail ends about four miles south of Hillsdale in Copake Falls.
The Hamlet Committee has begun talks with the Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association, as well as state and Copake officials, to see what can be done to extend this wonderful recreational resource for bikers, walkers, runners and cross-country skiers to our town.
On Memorial Day, several members of the Hamlet Committee along with a board member of the rail trail association took a walk along the former New York & Harlem Railroad bed to assess its condition. They were surprised to find that much of the former rail bed to the west of the town’s hamlet is in good shape and walkable.
This section of the old rail line passes through land owned by the Audubon Society. It borders lush, tranquil wetlands and the beautiful lake that is visible to the south while driving along Route 23. About a mile or so toward Craryville the group encountered overgrown trees and turned back.
Heading in the other direction, the former rail bed to the south of town also is in surprisingly good shape as far as Route 22 except for a few portions where drainage needs to be addressed.
The committee will periodically update residents about efforts to bring the rail trail to Hillsdale. For more information about the trail and its association, check out this website: http://www.hvrt.org/index.html.
To join an email list to receive updates on the rail trail effort or if you would be interested in helping the cause please send an email to: railtrailtohillsdale [railtrailtohillsdale #AT# gmail.com]
